{"id":1056,"date":"2012-01-23T10:22:22","date_gmt":"2012-01-23T15:22:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ramchal.wordpress.com\/?p=1056"},"modified":"2012-01-23T10:22:22","modified_gmt":"2012-01-23T15:22:22","slug":"facing-backward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/ramchal\/2012\/01\/23\/facing-backward\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cFacing\u201d backward"},"content":{"rendered":"

After getting my wind back from my flu I reviewed what I\u2019d written so far about <\/em>Adam Kadmon and I see that it called for clearing up. So I\u2019m going to repeat my remarks with some changes.<\/em><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll begin this part with a quick statement from Ar\u201di about the seemingly out-and-out anthropomorphisms we\u2019ll be using to depict Adam Kadmon<\/em>. \u201cWe must speak in (anthropomorphic) metaphors and images in order to \u2018soothe the ear\u2019\u201d [1], i.e., to be able to cogently explain and illustrate things in an actually fully abstract realm.<\/p>\n

That having been said we need to know that everything \u201chas two aspects: one is its expanding spiritual essence, and the other is its \u2018vessels\u2019 and \u2018limbs\u2019 into which this spiritual essence expands.\u201d But we must realize also that \u201cthere are roots above for these aspects\u201d, and that it\u2019s those roots<\/em> (which are found in Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em> and elsewhere) that are the actual the subject at hand<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Leading up to our investigations we\u2019d put forward that Ar\u201di goes on to say that \u201cthere are four fundamental aspects to everything: sight, hearing, smell, and speech, which correspond to the four letters of God\u2019s name (spoken of before)\u201d [2]. That should lead us to our subject at hand. Here\u2019s what Ramchal offers about that.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn order for this order (i.e., Adam Kadmon<\/em>) to be perfect,\u201d he says, \u201cit needs to be a complete Partzuf<\/em> that\u2019s comprised of (both) an interior and an exterior, which is related to the mystical notions of a body and a soul, or \u2018lights\u2019 and \u2018receptacles\u2019\u201d (Iggerot Pitchei Chochma V\u2019Da\u2019at <\/em>3).<\/p>\n

Ramchal then offers the following in Petach <\/em>32:<\/p>\n

The \u201cface\u201d <\/strong>of Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em> was formulated to irradiate out what was arranged within the \u201cbody\u201d <\/strong>of Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em>. It was in fact Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em>\u2019s \u201csenses\u201d that irradiate outward. <\/strong><\/p>\n

In fact, four \u201cworlds\u201d emerged <\/strong>(i.e., irradiated outward): those of \u201cvision\u201d<\/strong> centered in Adam Kadmon\u2019s \u201ceyes\u201d, \u201chearing\u201d <\/strong>centered in Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em>\u2019s \u201cears\u201d, \u201csmell\u201d <\/strong>centered in Adam Kadmon\u2019s \u201cnose\u201d and \u201cspeech\u201d <\/strong>centered in Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em>\u2019s \u201cmouth\u201d. <\/strong>And we\u2019re told that the \u201cforehead\u201d likewise emits radiance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>This largely harkens back to Ari\u2019s depiction of the vision; what\u2019s novel is the introduction of Adam Kadmon\u2019s \u201cforehead\u201d which will come up later, and the idea of the irradiation of phenomena from within Adam Kadmon<\/em>\u2019s \u201cbody\u201d which we\u2019ll discuss shortly.<\/p>\n

He adds a couple of things at the end of this Petach<\/em> which also have great significance to our understanding: the fact that all the worlds <\/strong>that come about afterwards are nothing but the radiance and shine of Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em> <\/strong>as we\u2019ll see; <\/strong>and the idea that Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em> itself is more exalted than they and cannot be comprehended <\/strong>whereas the other worlds can be comprehended to one degree or another. <\/strong>We\u2019ll get to this soon enough as well.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re going to be citing Ramchal\u2019s Pitchei Chochma v\u2019Da\u2019at<\/em> in our attempt to follow what happens here– or better yet, what the prophets and other exalted souls were able to envision about the process of creation. <\/em>Then we\u2019ll touch on the \u201csolution\u201d to all this.<\/p>\n

As Ramchal explains it [3], the Sephirot<\/em> connected with Adam Kadmon <\/em>\u201chave an inner aspect — and an outer one, which conceals it\u201d. It\u2019s just that, \u201csome of the inner aspect pierce through the outer ones and come into view<\/em> (to the prophets and great souls) in order to perform some visible function\u201d [4]. \u201cThis represents the esoteric idea of the piercing through of (Adam Kadmon<\/em>\u2019s inner radiance through it\u2019s) \u2018ear\u2019, \u2019nose\u2019, and \u2018mouth\u2019\u201d, as he\u2019ll go on to explain.<\/p>\n

Put simply, some of Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em>\u2019s inner radiance pierced through the apertures of its \u201cface\u201d — its \u201ceyes\u201d, \u201cears\u201d, \u201cnose\u201d, \u201cmouth\u201d, and even its \u201cforehead\u201d. And it did that in order to bring about whatever was needed to build all the intended phenomena<\/strong>, i.e., the worlds of Atzilut<\/em>, Briah<\/em>, Yetzirah<\/em>, and Assiyah<\/em> as well as mortal man, as well as to bring about whatever was necessary to actualize what was intended for these phenomena <\/strong>(Petach<\/em> 35).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Very well: now we know the makeup of Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em>, but what\u2019s the \u201csolution\u201d to all that as Ramchal understands it; i.e., what\u2019s being indicated by this visual phenomenon? For that we\u2019ll need to turn to his Klallim<\/em> Rishonim<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In explanation of all this Ramchal cites the two sorts of ways that God interacts with us: either openly, which is referred to his expressing Ha\u2019aret Panim<\/em>, looking at us \u201c(with) face aglow\u201d; or He interacts with us covertly, which is referred to His expressing Hester Panim<\/em>, looking at us \u201c(with a) hidden face\u201d [5].<\/p>\n

Now, when God interacts via Ha\u2019aret Panim <\/em>His interactions with us are full and unabated, whereas when He interacts via Hester Panim <\/em>His interactions are limited and incomplete. And we\u2019re taught that these paradigms play themselves out in the human sphere in terms of the body (which exemplifies Hester Panim<\/em>) and the soul (which exemplifies Ha\u2019aret Panim<\/em>) [6]. We\u2019re also taught that these two ways that God interacts with us also touch upon the Trace and the Line, where the former is an example of Hester Panim<\/em> (since God\u2019s presence is largely hidden there) and that the latter is an example of Ha\u2019aret Panim<\/em> (since God\u2019s presence is manifest there).<\/p>\n

Ramchal\u2019s point here is that Adam Kadmon<\/em> with its \u201cface\u201d and its \u201csenses\u201d is a representation of the Trace and the Line — of Ha\u2019aret Panim<\/em> and Hester Panim <\/em>as <\/em>well <\/em>— at work. It\u2019s just that sometimes one mode dominates, and another time the other one does. There\u2019s also a subtle implication that the prophet or exalted soul can not only envision the reality of Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em>, but that he can likewise know which mode is predominant at the time. But that\u2019s beside the point.<\/p>\n

Ramchal offers some rather remarkable statements about the implications of Adam Kadmon <\/em>in his own comments to Petach<\/em> 32 [7].<\/p>\n

He first puts forward the idea that what a \u201cface\u201d is, is that \u201cpart of the body by means of which the individual (literally, \u2018the soul\u2019) turns toward (i.e., faces<\/em>) and keeps an eye on what concerns it in relation to things outside of itself\u201d. That\u2019s to say, a \u201cface\u201d is the center of our interactions with others. He goes on to say that a face uses \u201cthe faculties of vision, hearing, smell and speech\u201d (as well as the mind behind it all) to do that, while the individual consciousness behind all that \u201cremains in its sanctuary\u201d assessing what it experiences.<\/p>\n

The face is thus the seat of control-central, which hearkens back to what he\u2019d said before about Adam Kadmon <\/em>representing God\u2019s interactions with us.<\/p>\n

Ramchal also understands the face in this instance as being representative of \u201cvessels\u201d as opposed to Lights, and as being elements of \u201cthe Trace environment\u201d as opposed to the Line. And he introduces a new element to the mix aside from the face and its apertures: the face\u2019s \u201cradiance\u201d (\u05d6\u05d9\u05d5), which we\u2019d referred to above and promised to explain.<\/p>\n

Without taking too many liberties with his ideas we\u2019d offer that he means to say is that the face proper is only the stage<\/em> for what\u2019s to occur. The actor<\/em>, if you will, is the Light of the Ein<\/em> Sof<\/em> (i.e., the Line) that pierces through the face in the form of the \u201csenses\u201d produced within the apertures (and which like all actors, prod and react to others). These senses perform<\/em> by governing the Partzufim<\/em> that will appear after Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em> serves its function, much the way the soul \u201cperforms\u201d upon the \u201cstage\u201d of the human body. And the character<\/em> produced, if you will, is the face\u2019s radiance — what we\u2019d term an individual\u2019s \u201ccharacter\u201d or \u201cpersonality\u201d, i.e., what \u201cshines through\u201d when he or she interacts with animation. In fact, it\u2019s the product of the interactions of the senses, the face, with the universe that experiences it.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s go back to the face\u2019s \u201cradiance\u201d. We\u2019ll once again depend on Ramchal\u2019s comments to Petach<\/em> 32 for his explanations of it.<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

[1]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 See 3:4 and 6:6 above.<\/p>\n

[2] \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 From The Tree of Life<\/em> pp. 117-118 (with slight changes).<\/p>\n

[3] \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Pitchei Chochma v\u2019Da\u2019at <\/em>29.<\/p>\n

[4] \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Parenthetically, why would there even need to be outer aspects? Because as Ramchal explains, \u201cif there weren\u2019t outer aspects, the inner aspects would function openly\u201d and at full strength, which would be too overpowering; so \u201conly a part of the inner aspect functions that way\u201d, i.e., at full strength, thanks to that safeguard mechanism.<\/p>\n

[5]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This is derived from Klallim<\/em> Rishonim<\/em> 8. See Da\u2019at<\/em> Tevunot<\/em> 76-81, 84 where Ramchal expounds upon God\u2019s two interactions and related phenomenon.<\/p>\n

[6]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Though this isn\u2019t cited it here, Hester Panim<\/em> is also analogous to receptacles while Ha\u2019aret Panim<\/em> is analogous to Lights.<\/p>\n

[7] \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Some of this is reiterated in Iggerot Pitchei Chochma<\/em> 4 as well.<\/p>\n

(c) 2012 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<\/p>\n

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org<\/a><\/p>\n

———————————————————-<\/p>\n

AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here<\/a> at a discount.<\/p>\n

You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here<\/a> at a discount as well.<\/p>\n

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).<\/p>\n

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence<\/a>\u201d and \u201cRamchal<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After getting my wind back from my flu I reviewed what I\u2019d written so far about Adam Kadmon and I see that it called for clearing up. So I\u2019m going to repeat my remarks with some changes. We\u2019ll begin this … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/ramchal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/ramchal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/ramchal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/ramchal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/ramchal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/ramchal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1056\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/ramchal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/ramchal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/ramchal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}